03/16/2026
Things have been quiet recently at the Old Man’s Place. Frankly, we just needed a break. Today is the one-year anniversary of my brother going to check on dad, only to find him on the floor, already gone. It didn’t come as a huge surprise to anyone, but that day changed the courses of our lives.
I’ve probably averaged 25-30 hours each week of the last year working on the OMP, as we now call it. Whether it was cleaning out storage areas, meeting with people wanting to buy antiques, digging out the ponds, cutting back overgrown plants in the yard, fixing water lines, bolstering shaky stairs or tearing out rotted decks, it’s been a long and exhausting year.
The greatest joys of the process have surrounded the long process of bringing the place back to life and connecting with people passing on the street or here on this IG page. I’ve met a lot of neighbors; people driving or walking by and just stopping to look and ask questions. I’ve given tours to numerous people whose names I can’t even remember and answered more times than I can count the question of, “what is this place?” I’ve honestly enjoyed every bit of that part of the process.
I’ve eluded to the fact that dad wasn’t easy to get along with in his later years, and seemed to intentionally distance himself from everyone. Frankly, it put tremendous strain on the relationships he had with everyone in our family. But working at the house, talking to neighbors, answering questions and seeing the wonder of the OMP has helped me to remember that dad wasn’t all bad. In fact, he had some wonderful parts as well, especially in earlier years.
Thank you for following this account and interacting with the Old Man’s Place. You have brought me joy in an otherwise challenging situation, and I’m grateful for it. And you all still have an open invitation to stop and talk if you ever pass by and see me working around the place. I’d love to meet you.
Peace, Todd
